Drive for rodding machine

ABSTRACT

A drive for a sewer rodding machine is disclosed which includes a circular arcuate channel surface, such as the channel periphery of a wheel, around which the rod is looped. The wheel functions both as a drive wheel and as a torsion-taking wheel for preventing the twist of the twisting rod from getting back into the storage reel. The storage reel, and the drive-and-torsiontaking wheel, are supported on a fixed axle for rotation in a rotatable carriage. The fixed axle is slightly bent or angled. The storage reel is mounted on the bent or angled part of the axle so that the storage reel is rotatable in a plane which is disposed at a slight angle with respect to the axis of rotation of the carriage. The drive-and-torsion-taking wheel is mounted on the straight part of the bent axle, so that the wheel is rotatable in a plane which is parallel to the axis of the carriage. The storage reel includes, as a fixed component part thereof, an inner annular confining band which embraces a substantial portion of the channel periphery of the drive-andtorsion-taking wheel. This band functions to confine the rod in the peripheral channel of the wheel against radially outward movement. Due to the angular disposition of the annual confining band relative to the drive-and-torsion-taking wheel, openings are available for entry and exit of the rod into and out of the wheel&#39;&#39;s peripheral channel.

United States Patent Caperton July 4, 1972 [54] DRIVE FOR RODDING MACHINE [72] Inventor: Charles B. Caperton, Montgomery Court Apartments, Narberth, Pa. 19072 [22] Filed: June 25, 1971 [2i] Appl. No.: 156,867

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 75,568, Sept. 25,

Primary Examiner-Edward L. Roberts Attomeyl-lenry N. Paul, Jr. et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A drive for a sewer rodding machine is disclosed which includes a circular arcuate channel surface, such as the channel periphery of a wheel, around which the rod is looped. The wheel functions both as a drive wheel and as a torsion-taking wheel for preventing the twist of the twisting rod from getting back into the storage reel. The storage reel, and the drive-andtorsion-taking wheel, are supported on a fixed axle for rotation in a rotatable carriage. The fixed axle is slightly bent or angled. The storage reel is mounted on the bent or angled part of the axle so that the storage reel is rotatable in a plane which is disposed at a slight angle with respect to the axis of rotation of the carriage. The drive-and-torsion-taking wheel is mounted on the straight part of the bent axle, so that the wheel is rotatable in a plane which is parallel to the axis of the carriage. The storage reel includes, as a fixed component part thereof, an inner annular confining band which embraces a substantial portion of the channel periphery of the drive-andtorsion-taking wheel. This band functions to confine the rod in the peripheral channel of the wheel against radially outward movement. Due to the angular disposition of the annual confining band relative to the drive-and-torsion-taking wheel, openings are available for entry and exit of the rod into and out of the wheels peripheral channel.

3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures P'A'TENTEDJUL '4 m2 3.6 73.627

SHEET 10F 2 INVENTOR.

Charles BCoperton ATTORNEYS.

P'ATENTEDJuL 4 1972 3. 6 73 627 SHEET 2 0F 2 INVENTOR. I Charles B. 'Coperto'n /ZWZMM ATTORNEYS.

1 DRIVE FOR RODDING MACHINE CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No. 75,568, filed Sept. 25, 1970 and titled BACKGROUND OFTl-IE INVENTION This invention relates to rodding equipment of the type used in the cleaning and maintenance of sewer pipes,water pipes, andother underground conduits and structures.

Sewer pipes, water pipes, and the like are customarily cleared of obstructions by feeding into thepipe a steel rod having at its foremost extremity a suitable tool forperforming the particular cutting or clearing operation. Such tool may, for example, be an auger bit, a root saw, a centrifugal cutter, a pick-up, or any other of a large variety of tools especially adapted for the purpose. The point of obstruction in the pipe may, of course, be far removed from the point of entry into the pipe, and, accordingly, the tool may be at the foremost end of a rod whose length may be of the order of 900-1000 feet. In some cases, such long length of rod is a continuous piece, but in other cases, the rod is comprised of astring of individual solid rods of V4 inch inch spring steel stock, each rod being about 39 inches-long, the rod being coupled together by suitable couplings. For storing such long length of steel rod, either continuous or coupled, when not in use or for transporting such rod to another work location, reels have been developed capable of holding 900-1000 feet of rod. Such reels are designed to confine the rod incoils orloops of large diameter in order to avoid bending the rod into a permanent set.

It is, of course, necessary to push the tool into the pipe and to withdraw the tool from the pipe, and for these purposesa power drive is provided to move the rod in its lengthwise direction. In order for the tool, particularly a cutting tool, to be effective, it is necessary for the rod to be rotated axially, and a power drive for this purpose is also provided. If, as the rotating'tool progresses forward into the pipe, an obstruction is encountered. Such obstruction will oppose rotation of the tool and the speed of the rotation of the tool will be slowed down. A torsional stress is then imposed on the rod and a twist will run back alongthe rod which, unless prevented, will run all the way into the coiled rod in the storage reel. This tends to distort the loops of stored rod and to cause entanglement thereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION or isolating means which are specially suitable for coupled rod.

The foregoing objects are achieved, in accordance with my present invention, by providing, in the rotatable carriage, a drive-and-torsion-taking annular surface, preferably a wheel, having a channel periphery which receives the rod to be openings are available for entry and exit of the rod to and from the peripheral channel of the wheel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view, partly broken'away and in section, of a rodding machine incorporating the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view, in section, looking along the line 2-2 ofFIG. l.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention relates to a sewer rodding machine of the general type shown in FIGS. -1 and 2 of my U. S. Pat. No. 3,469,273, granted Sept. 30, 1969.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 of the present application, there is illustrated 'a rodding machine having a fixed base frame l having at each end thereof a support standard 13. Supported for rotation within the fixed frame is a rotatable carriage 20 having a cross axle 25 which supports and carries a rotatable storage reel 30: and a rotatable drive-and-torsion-taking wheel 50. The

carriage20, is driven rotationally about its longitudinal axis, as by a motor 14 and a chain and sprocket drive 15 supported on the frame 10. The carriage rotates on trunnions 11 and l2.

The cross axle carried by the rotatable carriage 20, and rotatable therewith, is bent or angled, having a first portion 250 at right angles to the axis of rotation'of carriage 20, and a second portion 25b at aslight angular relation relative to the first portion. The drive-and-torsiomtakin'g wheel 50 issupported on the first portion 25a of axle 25, and accordingis rotatable in a plane parallel to'the axis of rotation of carriage 20. The storage reel 30is supported on the second'portion 25b and is accordingly rotatable in a plane which isat a small angle relative to the axis of rotation of the carriage 20 and also relative to the plane of rotation of the drive-and-torsion-taking wheel 50. v

The carriage 20 is supported for rotation on the trunnions I1 and 12. Trunnion 11 is tubular to allow. for passage therethrough of the coupled rod 70.

driven. To prevent the rod from moving radially outwardly of wheel. Since the storage reel and confining band are disposed at an angle relative to the plane of rotation of the wheel,

The drive-and-torsion-taking wheel 50 is shown as a disc wheelv similar to that shown in FIG. 5 of my US. Pat. No. 3,480,983. The periphery of wheel 50 is provided with radially extending flanges forming'therebetween a channel 55 which continues about the periphery of the wheel. The coupled rod 70 is guided between the storage reel30 and the peripheral channel 55 of wheel 50 through the flared guide tube 121 supported by bracket I22 fixed to carriage 20. The rod 70 is guided betweenthe peripheral channel 55 of wheel 50 and the trunnion 11 through the flared guide tube 116 supported on a bracket I26 fixed to the rotatable carriage 20.

The drive-and-torsion-taking wheel 50 may be driven by any suitable means. It is shown in FIG. 2 to be driven by a chain and sprocket drive comprising the driven sprocket 51,

chain 60, drive sprocket 62 mounted on shaft 62 and drivemotor 64 mounted on and secured to the rotatable carriage 20. The sprocket 51 and the wheel 50 are secured together for rotation on portion 250 of the fixed axle 25.

The storage reel 30 comprises a cage supported on a hub 31. The hub 3| is freely rotatable on the bent portion 25b of the fixed axle 25. The cage is famed by a plurality of radial spokes 33, each of hook or J configuration, each fixed to the hub 31. The terminal ends 34 of the J-shaped radial spokes 33 are connected together by a circular hoop 35. Within the cage, and secured thereto as by welding, is an annular band which functions as a confining band, as will be described. The annular band 180 has a smaller diameter than the cage, and also smaller than that of the hoop 35 leaving between the band 180 and the. hoop 35 an annular opening 36 through which the coupled rod is passed as it is taken from, or returned to, the storage cage. A hoop 86'embraces the cage as a reinforcing element.

The storage reel 30 and the drive-and-torsion-taking wheel 50 are so located relative to each other, and the annular band 180 and the wheel 50 are of such relative'sizes that the band 180 embraces a substantial part of the channel periphery of the wheel. in the illustration, the band 180 covers about onehalf of the periphery of the wheel 50.

In operation, when the drive sprocket 62 is driven in the clockwise direction, as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 2, the drive-and-torsion-taking wheel 50 is driven clockwise. Slots 57 in the channel SSengage the couplers'7l of the coupled rod 70 and push .the rod in the direction of rotation of the wheel. This pulls rod 70 out of the reel30 through the guide tube 121 and pushes rod through the guide tube 116 into the tubular trunnion 11. In this action, the forces on the rod 70 are such as to tend to cause the rod to move outwardly away from the periphery of the wheel on the right side thereof as viewed in FIG. 2. This outward movement is prevented by the annular band 180 which functions to keep rod 70 from leaving the peripheral channel 55 as it is pulled about thewheel. Thus, the band 180 serves to confine the rod 70 in the channel.

When the drive-and-torsion-taking wheel 50 is driven in the counter-clockwise direction to push against the couplers 71 in a direction to return the coupled rod ,70 to the storage reel 30, the forces acting on therod 70 as it moves around the rearward portion'of, the periphery of the wheel 50tend to cause the rod to move radially outwardly. This movement is prevented by the confining band 180..

When the coupled rod 70 is to be pulled from the storage reel 30 and fed into the underground conduit, it would be desirable to have a 1:1 coupling between thedrive wheel 50 and the storage reel 30 so that, at start-up, as soon as the drive wheel 50 begins to rotate, the storage reel 30 will also begin to rotate. For if, due to inertia, the heavy storage reel 30 does not start to rotate as soon as the drive wheel 50 starts to rotate, the pull on the rod 70 in the cage tends to pull the rod into coils of smaller diameters. However, when the driven wheel 50 is up to speed, and is running at operating speed, it would be desirable to have the storage reel 30 rotate at a somewhat slower speed than the drive wheel 50. This because the diameter of the storage wheel 30 is larger than the diameter of the drive wheel 50. If the rotational speeds of the two are equal, more rod will be fed from the storage reel 30 to the wheel 50 than the channeled periphery of;the wheel. 50 can accept. it will be seen my US. Pat. No. 3,039,715, granted June 19, 1962 entitled.

Rod Reel Device. When the rod 70 is returned to .the storage reel 30, the drive wheel 50 and the storage reel 30 should be allowed free rotation relative to each other. This condition is allowed by a one-way friction connection device similar to that shown in my aforesaid US. patent.

What is claimed is: 1

1. Apparatus for clearing obstructions in sewers, water pipes, and the like, said apparatus including:

a. a base frame;

b. 'a rotatable carriage mounted for rotation in said base frame about the longitudinal axis of said carriage;

a storage reel for coupled rods supported in said rotatable carriage for rotation in a plane generally parallel to that of the axis of rotation of said carriage but at a slight angle relative thereto;

. drive means for driving said coupled rod in its lengthwise directions; twist-barrier means supported in said rotatable carriage for preventing the twisting of the rod from being trans 'ferred back into said storage reel;

. said drive means and twist-barrier means comprising a drive-and-torsion-taking wheel supported in said rotatable carriage for rotation in a plane parallel to that of the axis of rotation ofsaid carriage, with the rearward portion of said drive-and-torsion-taking wheel being within said storage reel;

g. the peripheral edge of said driveand-torsion-takmg wheel having'a channel surface with slots therein atspaced intervals forreceiving and engaging the couplers of said coupled rod; 1 v h. said storage reel having anannular-confining band'fixed therewithin embracing the channel peripheral surface of vthe rearward portion of said drive-and-torsion-taking wheel for, confining the vcoupled rod in the channel periphery of said wheel;

i. first guide means between said reel and the peripheral,

edge of said wheel for guiding said coupled rod between said storage reel and the channel periphery of said wheel;

and

j. second guide means between the channel periphery of said wheel and the forward end of said carriage for guiding said rod.

. Apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that:

. said storage reel is comprised of a plurality of radially disposed J-shaped spokes;

. a circular hoop connects the terminal ends of the J portions of the spokes;

. said annular confining band has a diameter smaller than the diameter of said hoop leaving an annular opening beyond said band for passage of coupled rod therethrough into and from said storage reel.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 characterized in that said wheel and said storage reel are supported in said rotatable carriage on a bent cross axle having a first portion normal to the axis of rotation of said carriage and on which said drive wheel is mounted and having a second portion disposed at a slight angle relative to the axis of rotation of said carriage and on which said storage reel is mounted.

s res: 

1. Apparatus for clearing obstructions in sewers, water pipes, and the like, said apparatus including: a. a base frame; b. a rotatable carriage mounted for rotation in said base frame about the longitudinal axis of said carriage; c. a storage reel for coupled rods supported in said rotatable carriage for rotation in a plane generally parallel to that of the axis of rotation of said carriage but at a slight angle relative thereto; d. drive means for driving said coupled rod in its lengthwise directions; e. twist-barrier means supported in said rotatable carriage for preventing the twisting of the rod from being transferred back into said storage reel; f. said drive means and twist-barrier means comprising a driveand-torsion-taking wheel supported in said rotatable carriage for rotation in a plane parallel to that of the axis of rotation of said carriage, with the rearward portion of said drive-and-torsion-taking wheel being within said storage reel; g. the peripheral edge of said drive-and-torsion-taking wheel having a channel surface with slots therein at spaced intervals for receiving and engaging the couplers of said coupled rod; h. said storage reel having an annular confining band fixed therewithin embracing the channel peripheral surface of the rearward portion of said drive-and-torsion-taking wheel for confining the coupled rod in the channel periphery of said wheel; i. first guide means between said reel and the peripheral edge of said wheel for guiding said coupled rod between said storage reel and the channel periphery of said wheel; and j. second guide means between the channel periphery of said wheel and the forward end of said carriage for guiding said rod.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that: a. said storage reel is comprised of a plurality of radially disposed J-shaped spokes; b. a circular hoop connects the terminal ends of the J portions of the spokes; c. said annular confining band has a diameter smaller than the diameter of said hoop leaving an annular opening beyond said band for passage of coupled rod therethrough into and from said storage reel.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 2 characterized in that said wheel and said storage reel are supported in said rotatable carriage on a bent cross axle having a first portion normal to the axis of rotation of said carriage and on which said drive wheel is mounted and having a second portion disposed at a slight angle relative to the axis of rotation of said carriage and on which said storage reel is mounted. 